Communio – Page 199 – …bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Saint Thomas

Was Saint Thomas really doubting, skeptical, or trying understand a new reality he met in the risen Lord? The so-called skepticism is seen as weakness but in the Christian way of looking at life, weakness is power. Doubt is really clarification. Thomas, is really an apostle of the Lord’s glorification as John’s Gospel indicates for us. I can also see Thomas as the apostle who loves the Lord with passion, with ardor, as when he tells the disciples to go with the Lord to the cross when witnessing to the death of Lazarus. Thomas is also the apostle of Christology. He asks, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, how can we know the way?” Jesus sets gives one of his clearest teachings of who He is: “I am the way, the truth and the life.” But somewhere along the path charted by Jesus Thomas doesn’t immediately accept what others have to say about the resurrection from the dead of Jesus but has to personally probe the fact.

Eusebius of Caesarea writes that Thomas evangelized the peoples of Persia; there is also the claim that he evangelized western India, founding what is known today as the Malabar Church, and later martyred there.

Like Thomas, Didymus, we’ve met the Lord in his glorious wounds and sometimes we miss what those wounds mean. Thomas is here to help us. Pope Francis tells us,

“We find Jesus’ wounds in carrying out works of mercy, giving to our body – the body – the soul too, but – I stress – the body of your wounded brother, because he is hungry, because he is thirsty, because he is naked because it is humiliated, because he is a slave, because he’s in jail because he is in the hospital. Those are the wounds of Jesus today. And Jesus asks us to take a leap of faith, towards Him, but through these His wounds. ‘Oh, great! Let’s set up a foundation to help everyone and do so many good things to help ‘. That’s important, but if we remain on this level, we will only be philanthropic. We need to touch the wounds of Jesus, we must caress the wounds of Jesus, we need to bind the wounds of Jesus with tenderness, we have to kiss the wounds of Jesus, and this literally. Just think of what happened to St. Francis, when he embraced the leper? The same thing that happened to Thomas: his life changed.

Second miracle for John Paul’s canonization approved by the bishops

English: Pope John Paul II on 12 August 1993 i...

Several weeks ago word was received that the theologians approved of the findings they were presented on a miracle studied to support Blessed John Paul’s cause of canonization. A second miracle is required for the canonization process to certify that the person being presented for canonization is authentic; the person doesn’t create the miracle but it is through that person’s intercession before God asking Him for the favor.

It is said that this second miracle happen on the night John Paul was beatified. A Costa Rican woman is the subject of the healing. John Paul II died in 2005 and was beatified on 1 May 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI.

The full meeting of the cardinals and bishops of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints met today and likewise approved the report on the second miracle. The Congregation under the leadership of Cardinal Angelo Amato will now write a report and submit it to the Roman Pontiff for his decision.

It is speculated at by December Blessed John Paul could be sainted. Some are also speculating that Blessed John XXIII could be sainted, too.

Why the face?

Bitchy Resting Face (BRF) is a syndrome that portrays a sour expression. Thoughtfully sad and silently suffering people, typically women. (There is a male version which I will leave alone for now.) Do you find it hard to match the others joyous attitude in an honest way? Are you smiling?

Societal expectations say that you SHOULD smile all the time. Do you need surgery or just give the person suffering from BRF a break? Here’s the parody.

On a serious note, there are many are pop-psychologists and take every opportunity to diagnose what you are thinking and feeling based on a perceived BRF.

Blessed Junípero Serra

One the outstanding missionaries in the USA, is Blessed Junipero Serra. A Franciscan, who was born in 1713 and ordained priest in 1737 taught theology and philosophy at the University of Padua, followed the direction of his superiors to me a missionary in the new world; his first stop was Mexico City before going up the west coast of the USA founding 21 of the missions, the first of which was 1769 when he was 56. The foundations were not merely places of prayer, but a true Christian society.

November marks the 300th anniversary of Serra’s birth.

As Archbishop Chaput said last week when he was reflecting on Blessed Junipero, “Christian faith is not a habit. It’s not a useful moral code. It’s not an exercise in nostalgia. It’s a restlessness, a consuming fire in the heart to experience the love of Jesus Christ and then share it with others –or it’s nothing…”

This, I believe, is what set Serra’s heart on fire; this is what sets my heart on fire for Christ and His Church today.

Visit the Serra club webpage.

Blessed Junipero Serra, pray for us.

Pope Francis’ prayer intentions for July 2013

Pope Francis’ intentions for the month of July, the month also dedicated the Most Precious Blood Jesus. We are redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb, and no other.

The fathers and spiritual masters of the Church, like Saint Benedict believed that discernment is about figuring out who I am as a person as it is figuring out the contours of a relationship with God. Let’s keep these intentions in place of priority in our prayer this month.

The general intention

“That World Youth Day in Brazil may encourage all young Christians to become disciples and missionaries of the Gospel.”

The mission intention

“That throughout Asia doors may open to messengers of the Gospel.”

Christian freedom means talking about God, listening to God –to be truly free

Jesus is oriented toward the Father. His face is set on God. As Saint Luke says, “Jesus steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.” Today’s Angelus text given by Pope Francis is a marvelous for study and prayer. “If a Christian does not know how to talk with God, does not know how to listen to God, in his own conscience, then he is not free – he is not free.”

AND

“So we also must learn to listen more to our conscience. Be careful, however: this does not mean we ought to follow our ego, do whatever interests us, whatever suits us, whatever pleases us. That is not conscience. Conscience is the interior space in which we can listen to and hear the truth, the good, the voice of God. It is the inner place of our relationship with Him, who speaks to our heart and helps us to discern, to understand the path we ought to take, and once the decision is made, to move forward, to remain faithful.”

Pope Francis presents Pope Benedict XVI as an example of this discernment. I recommend that you consider reading the Pope’s Angelus text here.

Desiring to do everything the Father desired

Saint Hilary of Poitiers: “He who said ‘I have come not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me’ hastened to fulfill the task he had undertaken out of obedience, though in such a way as to remind us that he possessed a will of his own. In fact, he willed whatever the Father willed. His saying ‘I have come not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me’ revealed who had sent him and whom he obeyed, but without detriment to his own power of willing. Desiring to do everything the Father desired, Christ hastened to carry out his wishes with regard to his passion before the wicked could hinder him or prevent his doing so. He had a great longing to eat the Passover with his disciples, and he celebrated the paschal meal in haste. He had an intense desire to drink the cup of his passion, for he said: ‘Shall I not drink the cup which my Father has given me?’ When the search party came to arrest him and asked which man was Jesus, he stepped forward of his own accord. He asked for the sour wine which he knew he was destined to drink, and having drunk it and achieved his great purpose he said: ‘It is accomplished’, thus expressing his joy at obtaining his heart’s desire.”

Glastonbury Abbey monks elect new abbot, Fr Thomas O’Connor

Today, the monastic chapter (the solemnly professed monks) of Glastonbury Abbey (Hingham, MA) met to elect the third abbot of the abbey.

The election of an abbot brings greater normalcy, according to the Rule of Saint Benedict and tradition, to the monastic life after several years of having a prior administrator. Having an administrator was requested by the monks of the Abbey for a transition period.

The 10 monks gathered under the presidency of Abbot Vincent de Paul Bataille, Abbot President of the Swiss American Congregation. Abbot Vincent confirmed the election. The monks of the Congregation number about 511 in 18 monasteries and priories in the USA, Central America and Canada.

Benedictine Father Thomas O’Connor, 62, was elected the Third Abbot of the community.

Abbot Thomas’ abbatial blessing will be bestowed by Sean Cardinal O’Malley, OFM Cap on 11 August.

Glastonbury Abbey was founded in 1954 from Saint Benedict’s Abbey, Benet Lake, WI. It is situated in the Archdiocese of Boston and is located in the historic south shore of Boston.

Father Edward Campbell was elected the first abbot (1973-1986) and Father Nicholas Morcone served as the second abbot (1986-2008).

May God grant Abbot Thomas many years of faithful and fruitful service.

Our Lady of Glastonbury, pray for us.

Saints Benedict and Scholastica, pray for us.

Saint Hildegard, pray for us.

Remembering the Church of Rome

May God grant us to achieve as soon as possible the full unity of all believers in Christ. May we obtain this gift through the Apostles Peter and Paul, who are remembered by the church of Rome this day that commemorates their martyrdom and therefore their birth to life in God. For the sake of the Gospel they accepted suffering and death, and sharers in the Lord’s resurrection. Their faith, confirmed by martyrdom is the same faith as that of Mary, mother of believers, of the Apostles and of the saints of every age.

Blessed John Paul II

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

Today is a perfect day to pray for the Pope and our bishop. It is also a perfect day to pray for Christian unity and to pick up a good book on the Church’s history. Perhaps even pray with Matthew 16.

Grant, we pray, O Lord our God, that we may be sustained by the intercession of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, that, as through them you gave your Church the foundations of her heavenly office, so through them you may help her to eternal salvation.

From a sermon by Saint Augustine, bishop

The martyrs realized what they taught

This day has been made holy by the passion of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul. We are, therefore, not talking about some obscure martyrs. For their voice has gone forth to all the world, and to the ends of the earth their message. These martyrs realized what they taught: they pursued justice, they confessed the truth, they died for it.

Saint Peter, the first of the apostles and a fervent lover of Christ, merited to hear these words: I say to you that you are Peter, for he had said: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Then Christ said: And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church. On this rock I will build the faith that you now confess, and on your words: You are the Christ, the Son of the living God, I will build my Church. For you are Peter, and the name Peter comes from petra, the word for “rock,” and not vice versa. “Peter” comes, therefore, from petra, just as “Christian” comes from Christ.

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